Means for converting an ordinary roll-film camera into a focal-plane-shutter camera.



J. BAREME. Y mls FOB UOBYEBTIIG AH DBDIHARY ROLL FILI GAIERA INTO A FOGAL PLANE SHUTTER (zum PPLIGATIOI III-ID FEB. B.

ma' Patented out 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES J. BARBBRIE. uns Pon oonvlzn'rmu AN onmmn nou. mu GAMERA INTO APocAL PLANE `sHu'r'rE l UMBRA. APPLICATION PILE 1111.8, 1913. 1,075,751. Patented 001.14, 1913.`

` 2 saura-snm z.

P-. 'f f I .-ZTMLPPPPPPPPPPP LEE WITNESSES ini i En STATES PATENT loEEIoE.

:omi :aAnnEnm or UPPER. noN'roLArE, NEW JERSEY.

ron coNvErING AN ORDINARY BOLL-FILM CAMERA IN'ro A FOCAL-PLANE.

SHUTTEE CAMERA. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

Application illed February 8, 19113. Serial No. 747,118.

VTo all 'whom it may concern.' i

Be it known that I, JOHN BARBERIE, a citizen of the. United States, and a resident of U per Montclair, in the county of Essex and gtate of New Jersey, have invented a certain new 'and useful Improvement in Means f or Converting an Ordinary Roll- Fihn Camera into a Focal-Plane-Shutter Camera, of which the followin is a specifi-- cation, taken' in connection wit `the accompanyi-ng drawings, which form a part of the saine.

AM invention relates to cameras and more particularly to means for converting an ordinary roll film camera vinto a focal plane shutter camera.

' My invention further comprises the c ombination of an ordinary roll film camera with Va .demountable or removable focal plane shutter, the focal plane shutter with its mechanism occupying the spaces ordinai-ily occupied by the roll film of the zioY camera. l

My invention further'comprises a demountable and removable focalplane shutter as an article' of manufacture so that it can be bought by persons owning an ordinary roll hn camera and be used interchangeably in such cameras with the ordi? nary roll film.

l Various mechanisms may be used to accomplish these. results. The ones I have shown are simply by Way of illustration, it being understood that 'myl invention is not to be confined to the specific mechanism illustrated.

I have shownmy invention 1n connectionv with an ordinary folding pocket kodak but itl is to beV distinctly understood that it is adapted'to be used with any roll lm camera, my removable focal plane shutter being used interchangeably in the camera with the roll films which are ordinarily used in that form of camera. f

Focal plane shutters consisting ofv afleiiible piece of cloth or similar material hav- M/vm one or `more openings or slits to give di erent exposes are well known in' the artV and I make no` clai'nrto such .a shutter considered alone. It isiwell; known that these focal plane shutters permit the. user to take pictures of moving objects, the exposure bein I a second, w creas the as short 'as one thousandth of speed of an ordinary l shutter will not` be greaterY than one hundredth of a second and many of them do not give shorter exposures than one ftieth of a second. The ordinary shutter, therefore', cannot be' relied upon to take the picture of a moving object. Vith the focal plane shutters, however, clear and beautiful pictures are easily taken' of objects moving at high speed, the objects being clearly and exactly dened. This adds greatly to the charm and pleasure of amateur hotography and also enhances the value o? press photography. i A` person who has puchased an ordinary roll film camera, such for example as the folding kodak type which Iphave shown in Fig. 1, will in time become dissatisfied with the pictures of moving objects which he can obtain with the ordinary shutter used therel camera, there now being thousands of this* type on the market and others being continually manufactured.

By my invention I roll'lm camera into one having a focal plane shutter so as to take pictures of objects moving at high speed by mounting in the compartments usually used byl the roll film a focal plane shutter. This permits the,

camera to be usedwith' a film pack or plate back so that accurate and 'beautiful speed Apictures can be taken by the same camera at convert an ordinary an insignilicant'expense, compared to the'.

purchase of a new camera. And, further",l

by my invention, the camera can be in 'a' few' moments 'converted back into a' roll film camera when desired.v I. accomplish these without altering in any*- particular the structure of the roll hn.

results preferably camera.- In vaddition to occupying the spaces ordinarily occupiedv by the rollrlr'n,

I alsa; though not necessarily, employ theV same bearings that are used n1 the camera to support and operate the roll 'film reels.' Bfy my' invention lalso' use' the 'same winding key to operate my focal plane shutter that is used normally to operate the roll film in the camera.

The above is a clear statement of my in vent1on. Varlous mechanisms may be used to accomplish it. I haveshown by way of example severalsuch mechanisms but it is to be distinctly understood that my inven-v tion is not to be limited to the particular form of focal plane shutter and mechanism which I have shown by Way of illustration.

In the accompanying drawings showing illustrative embodimentsv of my invention and in which the same reference numerals refer to similar parts in the'y several iigures,-Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an ordinary roll film camera equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical Section substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows, the bellows being omitted for purposes of clearer illustration; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3'of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective fragmentary view of a detail; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a detail; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of an ordinary plate back;

. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section through one of my rolls showing the release mechanism moved partly inward preliminarily to being released; Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 7 showing the parts in their second position or after one revolution of the drum, and at. the beginning of the second revolution; Fig. 9 is a plan view partly broken away showing the same mechanisms as in Figs. 7 and 8 but in the third position, or at the end ofthe second revolution of the drum; Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig. 7; Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the line 11-11 of Fig. 8; Fig. 12 is a plan view of one form of a focal plane shutter with one of the drums;

Fig. 13 is a perspective View of my demount-l able focal plane shutter in a casing or container; Fig. 14 is a longitudinal vertical section through a modified form of winding drum; Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of focal plane shutter showing an adjustable opening.

In the illustrative embodiments of my invention shown in the drawings, 1 is an ordinary pocket folding kodak or other roll iilm camera having the ordinary finder 2, bellows 3, hinge cover 4, body member 5 with the film pockets 6 and 7, bearings, 8, 8, 9 and winding key 10. All these elements form no part of my invention except as they may be used in combination with my demountable focal 'plane shutter.

In the pockets 6 and 7 the common form of roll film is ordinarily mounted by. having its reels (not shown) coperate with the bearings 8, 8 in the pocket 7 and with the bearing 9 and winding key 10 iii the pocket film it is wound by the Winding key 10 on the reel which is mounted in the compartmen't`6 as the new or additional film is unwound from the reel inthe compartment 7, all of which is well known in the art. By z my invention, I mountthe demountable fof cal 4plane shutter 11, Fig. 12 with proper mechanism to operate it, which mechanism is a part of my focal plane shutter, within the same compartments 6 and 7 normally used by the roll film. This mechanism is 'such that it is preferably operated by the same winding key 10 which operates the roll film when the latter is used in this type of camera.. Of course, when I referto the winding key 10 I do not mean this particular type of winding key but any winding key which ordinarily is employed to wind up a lilm.. This focal plane shuttermechanism is provided with some suitable catch 'or released the focal-plane shutter 11 will be instantly operated Lto permit an exposure through the aperture 12 or 13 or lflfas the ease may be, these openings or slits being 1,of diiferent size as well known in such focal plane shutters. A

By way of illustration I have shown my focal plane shutter provided with two rolls or drums land 16, the latter being mounted in the compartment or pocket 7 of the camera, and the former in the pocket 6. The drum 16 is formed hollow and has a spindle 17 extending through it, the ends of the spindle being connected to the end pieces 1S and 19, each of them being preferably provided with an axial bore 20, 20 to receive and eoperate with the pins 21, 21 of the bearings 8, 8. The end piece 18 is prefer ably provided with a lug or shoulder 22, Figs.- 1 and 5 to coperate with the walls of .the pockets 7 to prevent the rotation of the axle or arbor 17. Between this axle or arbor *17 and the drum -16 I mount a coil spring 23 having one end connected to the arbor 17 andthe other end secured in any suitable manner to the'drum 16. The' focal plane the drum16, the unwinding of the shutter from this drum 16 causes tension to be placed upon. the coil spring 23 owing to the fact that. one end of the spring is connected to tion within the pocket 7.

My winding drum 15', Figs. `2 and 7, Vcomprises a rotating cylinder 25 mounted upon an arbor 26. This axle or arbor 26 can be rotated in one direction by the non-circular pin 27 of the winding key 10, Figs. 2 and 11 cooperating with the non-circular opening 28 of the axle or arbor 26. The movement of the axle 26 in only one direction is controlled in any suitable manner such for ex- 6. After a picture has been taken uponthe release so that when `the catch is tripped or the drum 16 while the other end 124: is held fast on the ,axle 17 which is held from rota-4 shutter 13 is normally rolled or wound upon I Vbringing thev axle 26 into engagement wit the non-circular portions 27 o the key 10 thewindin drum 15 can be rotated in one direction, t e same as the roll film of the camera would have been .'operated, to unwindv the focal plane shutter 11 from the drum 16 'and onto the cylinder or drum .25,

l to which it Amay be fastened in any suitable manner by the button 105 engaging with Qthe hole 106 in the shutter. In unwind- A 15 ing -the focal plane shutter it is, of course,

understood that the spring 23 will be placed 'under tension as previously described- I thenrpro'vide -suitable mechanism to release the drum 25l from the axle or arbor 26, vso

that when the release mechanism is operated the focal plane shutter 11 will be instantly vwound back upon the drum 16 and in'doing so it will perform its function effexposin-g the iilm 31 in thevlilm pack 32, orl

the late in the plate holder 33, Fig. 6, whic ever 'happens to be used with the camera, it, of course, being understood that the film pack -32 and the combination .plate back 34 v'are old and used interchangeably.

To insure the exposure of the entire film surface in the film pack, or the plate, without enlarging the compartments and 7, I preferably employ mechanism of any suitable character which 'will permit the drum 25 to rotate more than once when the trip mechanism is released, though, 'of' course,

it is to be understood that my invention is not 'to be con'ned to a multiple rotation of the -winding drum 25. In the ordinary camera,it is advisable to permit the winding drum 25 to rotate twice on each'release or exposure, 'so that the particular opening or aperture 12, 13l and V14 may be 'momentarily passed before the comparatively large iilm or plate used with this type of camera. In some cameras the winding drum 25 to fit 4within the compartment l6 of the camera would not play out enough of the focal plane shutter 11, on" one revolution 'of the drum 25 to allow the shutter aperture 'to pass entirely over the ilm or plate and give a successful exposure. In such cameras I vuse any suitable mechanism which will erin-it more than one!l revolution of fthe wind- -mg drum 25 on each exposure. I have shown by way of illustration a mechanism for accomplishing this result,l reference, at this point being more particularly called to Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive. Whenthe winding key 10 is operated to rotate the axle or arbor 26 to wind up the focal plane shutter 11 onto the drum '25 the movement of theV arbor .is.-tra'nsmitted to the drum 25 through lthe pin 35 'carried on the axle cooperating with the pin 36rca'rmed Sbyl l:the v vdrum 25, 7. vSutlcient of'fthe focal plane .shutter 11 is wound upon the drum` part. of the camera frame or-casing, say inA the rear wall of the lower pocket 7. lThe focal plane shutter ll'will be held inv this position, against the tension of the' spring 23 in the drum 16, by reason of the 'ratchet wheel 29 coperating with the awl 30 preventing ret-rograde or backward) rotation of the arbor or axle 26.

When it is desired to take an exposure the button or bearing 9, Fig. 2, which is preferably the same as the bearing used with the roll film reel, is pressed inward slightly suiiicient to 'move thefpin 35 from engagement with ,the pin 36 carried by the drum 25 as illustrated in Fig. 7. The inward movement of the axle 26 is readily permitted by the slot connection 100 between the winding key 10 and the -member 101 against the action of the spring 102, this being the common construction to permit the insertion of a film reel. Spring collars 103 and 104 keep the sleeve 44 in position on the axle 26. The 'moment that these two pins escape each other the tension of the spring v23 causes the drum 25 to rotate backward in the opposite direction from winding up :the focal plane' shutter 11 so as to play out the shutterfy for the proper ex-4 VIn Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 1l, I have shown mechanism to per-mit two revolutions on each release. pin 35 has been moved inward sufcient to escape the pin 36 carried by the drum 25. the entire drum 25 will ly around and make one revolution until the lug 42 on the drum 25 is brought back ofthe pin 43, Fig. 8, upon the loose 'sleeve 44 which is loosely mounted upon the axle or arbor 26. This will then bring the parts into the position shown in Fig. -8 which is at the end of the first revolution 'and the beginning of the second. The lug 42 now being on the opposite side of the pin 43' wil-l cause the loose sleeve 44 -to make one revolution, with the' drum 25, until its pin 45 is brought on the other side of lthe pin 46 which is also mounted permanently upon 'the vaxle or arbor 26. This will then bring the release mechanism into the posi- In this mechanism as soon as the tion shown ign Fig. 9. Further-rotation of the drum 25'is preventedV by the pin 45 now being on the opposite side of the pin 46 which is lheld from a retrograde or backwaifjd movement l'by the 'pawl engagin'g the ratchetl wheel 29. The parts aftery the second revolution of the drum 25 will therefore be in the position shown in Fig. 9. .While iti takes some little time to describe the operation of this release, mechanism, in practice be passed in front ofthe sensitive plate and exposure made. The spring 47 which has one end connected to the arbor 26 and the other end connected to the sleeve 44 will return the latter to its normal position.

Instead of using the particular form of focal plane shutter 11, it is, of course, to be understood that I may use such a focal plane shutter as 48, Fig. 15, having a slot 49 adjustable in. any suitable manner such as by having the two strips of the shutter 50 and 51 connected by a cord 52 which has one end 53 connected to the strip 50 and thence to the strip 51 'and back to the strip 50, the vother end of the cord 52 .being provided with an adjustable clasp 54 to catch on the metal or other strip 55 with which the end of the strip 50 is bound. The other strip 51 pref erably is provided with -a similar metal binding 56 under which the cord 52 preferably passes. A

In some cases I provide mechanism to permit more than two revolutions of the winding drum. I have shown such a construction in Fig. 14 in which the winding drum 25 is providedl with the same pin 36 and lug 42 as previously described but the axle or arbor 26 is provided not only with the'loose sleeve 44 with its pins 43`and 45 but I also provide on lthesame arbor 26 an additional loose sleeve 57, having on one sidea pin 58 to coperate with the pin 45 carried by the first sleeve 44 and 'on the other side with a pin 59 to coperate with the fixed pin 46 mounted on the axle or arbor 26. Inward pressure upon the axle or arbor 26 by pressing in the bearing 9 causing the pin v35 to assume theposition shown indotted lines in Fig. 14, so as to escape the pin 36 carriedv by the drum 25, will cause the drum 25 to instant-ly rotate three times instead of twice as in the preceding construction.

On the first revolution the lug 42 will revolve and with it the drum 25 making one complete revolution before it engages with the lug 43 carried by the sleeve 44, the parts being at the beginning of the second revolution in substantially the position shown in Fig. 8 in the first construction. On the second revolution of the drum. 26 the lug 42 i will be back ofthe in 43 and cause the sleeve 44 to revolve W1th .the drum 25 carryingthis first sleeve 44 around until it has made one complete rev0lution, when the pin 45 will then be on the other side of pin 58 from the 'position shown in Fig. 14. The drum 25 will then have made two complete revolutions and the first sleeve 44 one revolution. The pin 44 now, at the beginning of the third revolution being on the other side of the pin 58 fromthat shown in Fig. 14, will cause this entire second sleeve 57 t0 make one revolution moving its pin 59 from the position shown in Fig. 14,until it engages on the other side of the pin 46 carried by the axle 26, when the mechanism including the drum 25 will be instantlyv stopped after having made-three revolutions on one release and for one exposure. These additional revolutions are simply to permit a greater length of the focal plane shutter to be played out from the winding drum and be taken up by the drum 16 to get the necessary travel of the exposing aperture over a comparatively large lfilm in film pack or a plate in a plate back, the size of the reels or drums which hold the shutter being necessarily limited inidiameter to the available size of film compartments 6 and 7. i

In Fig. 13 I have shown my demountable focal plane shutter mounted in a casing `or container 60 having a hinge cover 61, my demountable focal plane shutter being there shown as a separate article of manufacture ready for sale, either with a roll film camera, or for independent sale.

When I refer to an ordinary roll film camera,I mean any camera adapted to use roll lms and plates or roll films and film pack, which, by its construction, will permit of the operation of a'focal plane shutter interchangeably with the roll film and in place- 'plane shutter, including winding rolls and associated actuating. mechanism and restraining mechanism, said rolls being demountably mounted in said pockets, and means operable from outside\of the camera for releasing the restraining mechanism.

2. In aeamera of the type having pockets and roll supporting bearings forfilm rolls in the pockets, and a winding key, a focal y plane shutter including winding rolls and spring actuating mechanism carried by one roll and restraining mechanism carried by the other roll, said rolls being demountably mounted in'said pockets, and means separa-` ble from the roll carrying the restraining mechanism and operable from outside of the camera for releasing the restrainingmechanism.

3. In a camera ,of the type havin pockets and roll supporting bearings forA lm rolls in the ockets, and a Winding key, a focal plane s utter including Winding rolls and associated spring actuatin mechanism 'and restraining mechanism, said rolls being demountably mounted in said pockets, and means operable from outside of the camera for releasing the restraining mechanism, one of the rolls of the shutter being detachably connected with the Winding key and the restraining release means.

4. In a camera of the type having pockets and roll supportingbearings for film rolls in the ockets, and a winding key, a focal plane s. utter including Winding rolls and spring actuating mechanism associated with one roll and axially movable restraining mechanism associated with the' other roll, and means operable from` outside of the camera and operatively connected with the axially movable restraining mechanism to release said mechanism.

5. In a camera of the type having pockets and roll supportin bearings for tilni rolls in the Eocket-s, an a Winding key, a focal plane s utter including winding rolls and a flexible curtain'connectinv the rolls, a tension device associated wit one of the lrolls for winding the curtain on the roll when the tension is relaxed, restraining mechanism associated with the other roll, said roll being operatively connected `With the winding key, and both rolls demountably mounted in said pockets, and means d'etachably connected with the roll having the restraining mechanism and operable from outside the camera for releasing said mechanism. d

6. In'a camera of the type having pockets and roll-supporting bearings for film rolls in the pockets, and a Winding key, a focal plane shutter including Winding rolls demountably mounted in said pockets, and a holdenfor a plate or film pack supported in exposure relation to the demountable focal plane shutter.

7. n article of manufacture comprising a focal plane shutter, including two drums, a flexible shutter, and means carried by the drums for operating the flexible shutter.

8. An article of manufacture comprising a focal plane shutter including two drums, one of which is provided with means to cooperate Withthe Winding key ofa roll film camera, a flexible shutter and self contained means carried by the drums -for operating the flexible shutter. 1

9. An article of manufacture comprising a focal plane shutter including two drums, one end of one'of the 'drums having meanslto coperate with the vWinding key and the other end with the bearing for thelm roll of a roll film camera, a 'flexible shutter and 4self contained means carried by the drums flexible shutter. JOHN BARBERIE. Witnesses:

JOHN D. MoRdAN, Rosa Y for operating the 

